SDCC 2017: The Orville Panel Live Recap

Seth McFarlane's new show on FOX has wowed audiences for its unique and faithful take on [...]

By Joe Schmidt

Seth McFarlane's new show on FOX has wowed audiences for its unique and faithful take on space-faring science fiction, and the fans at New York Comic Con flocked to the panel at Hammerstein Ballroom to support the show.

Panel moderator and show producer David Goodman hit the stage first to show some clips from the series, then introduced the guests from the series.

Panel moderator and show producer David Goodman hit the stage first to show some clips from the series, then introduced the guests from the series. Though Seth MacFarlane did not attend, he was available via Skype for the Q&A session.

Brannon Braga, Penny Johnson Jerald, Scott Grimes, Adrianne Palicki came on to the stage, and Goodman started the panel by bringing up Palicki's comic she co-wrote with her brother Eric Palicki called No Angel, for Black Mask Studios.

Grimes spoke for a moment about a record he made with Russell Crowe in a band called Indoor Garden Party and how surreal the experience was.

Jerald said that she was always certain the show was going to be a hit, and that she had faith in the series even when people making it doubted it would be successful. She credited the immense fan response to the show, calling them the reason it's successful.

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Asking how they stay sane working on the show, Palicki credited her trailer stocked full of booze, and Jerald said she loves dancing. The set has a communal bed for the actors where anyone can rest between shooting.

Braga spoke about directing the show, commenting on how much pressure he feels because of the tone. But it's hard to screw up a good script, he admitted. He talked about the episode that dealt with the gender reassignment surgery and how well it came across in the finished product.

The first fan asked about how critics pan the actors, Palicki said she doesn't pay attention to them. Grimes succinctly stated, "there are the critics, and then there are you guys."

Asked if there will be a musical episode, Jerald said so long as she doesn't sing. Though she would be a back-up dancer. Grimes revealed Palicki has a musical number coming up as part of a karaoke scene. But Grimes suggested a true musical would come up if they journeyed to a musical planet.

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Questions and Answers

Seth MacFarlane finally popped up on the big screen via Skype to join in with the cast and producers.

A fan asked the cast what they draw inspiration from for their characters, MacFarlane said his character is basically incompetent and he didn't draw from anything specifically. Instead, he wanted to see the other side of that aspect.

Asked about creating an atypical relationship between two divorced characters, who are normally portrayed as hating each other, MacFarlane said they wanted to add layers to the characters.

MacFarlane teased there's an episode that will explore Isaac's people.

Asked about how they make episodes that balance drama and comedy, MacFarlane said they're still trying to figure it out. MacFarlane cited MASH as the one show that had that formula locked down.

Palicki said it took her a few years to get over the Wonder Woman debacle, but she prefers to be doing the Orville. She said that everything happens for a reason, and that she wouldn't be doing that show if everything didn't turn out the way it did. Palicki said she enjoys fight scenes and hopes to see more.

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More Q&A

Asked how big the world is and how far they planned out, MacFarlane said there are character arcs introduced in the first season they plan to go a long way. He said next season will deal with Isaac more, but that you don't want to shoehorn yourself into a corner.

"In a way, the series guides you," MacFarlane said, mentioning how the Brian and Stewie relationship evolved over the course of the show.

Asked about next season, MacFarlane said they are very optimistic but there is not an official order yet. "Based on the fan reaction and based on the numbers, I'm exhaling for the first time since we started it."

Speaking about the tone of the Orville versus the tone of Star Trek Discovery, McFarlane said he felt it's something he hasn't seen in a while. And because Star Trek Discovery seemed to be going in a similar direction as the movies, he didn't feel they would be treading the same ground.

Asked about getting consultations from Neil DeGrasse Tyson, MacFarlane admitted that he asks him questions all the time. But there is also a group of scientists advise the writers and producers on certain aspects.

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